Rob, ignore everyones 'advice' on running in - listen to your mech and do your own research.
Last thing that you (and I really) want is to get into a running in argument in an otherwise awesome thread.

^ not exactly. But the point is the same.

Best reason to listen to your mech - if it eff's up, you can go back and say you followed his advice exactly :)

First thing i would do is fill the engine with oil not through the top cap but through one of the grub screwa near the oil filter.
You fill a pot with a pressure gauge abd apply compressed air to it that way the oil will go through ALL the oil galleriesand wont be dry.
Then before you start obviously check every sensor. Dont know what ECU you have but with a MoTec its easy.
That is every sensor, injector , pump etc etc.
Then take the spark plugs off and injectors if you can . Crank until your oil pressure light goes off. If you take your spark plugs out there will be no pressure on easier on your battery..
At this stage you need to check the tining is about right, hopefully the tining belt was put on correctly with first piston TDC and the marks on the belt.

Once all ok then start and then only.
Dyno is great in so far run low rpm high gear with as much throttle as possible.
Bed in the rings.
Constant rpm not up and down for the bedding.
If you mother it in the first few minutes the damage or should i say the full potential of the engine will just not be right..
Most manufactures just fang the engine.
Bedding occures in the first few minutes.
BTW if you can just run it on the dyno for as long as money permites, but after 5 minutes do check your water level just in case there are air pockets.
One thing for sure hope your tunner has a base map to start or he will frantically be adjusting the settings.

Thing is we think too much about start up because of the love passion and dollars put in and we want the best possible senario.
But what would you do if you bought a new car ?
The run in procedure on new cars say do not labor the engine. What a lot of beloni !

Thanks Mark for trying to prevent an extended argument in this thread, I don't want that either! Having said that, I really do appreciate Mandalay's advice, especially because he covered the initial maintenance side of things too. Of course, his opinion is just one more among many on the internet, so my mech's opinion will win. From what I've read, the first 20km or so, which can occur on a dyno, are crucial...the engine needs to be pushed hard enough to force the rings outwards and utilise the honed cross-hatching on the cylinder walls to bed in the rings, before the cross-hatching has time to fully wear away smooth. This is made difficult by the fact that my car has never been run in this condition with my Adaptronic ECU lol.

best way to run it in.. thrash the sh#t out of it haha who wants a slug motor anyway

I know a guy that builds 600+hp motors.. and first thing he does is rev the tits off it lol.. said if it doesn't handle now.. it'll never handle.. i like his philosophy :P

Light those tyres up rob haha